The 2016 Pacific Cup planning activities are well under way, and we’re pleased that 38 boats have already entered. We would like to invite the Olson 30s to participate in the adventure of a lifetime – the FUN race to Hawaii. Double-handed or fully-crewed it’s one of the most exciting and fulfilling sailing adventures possible from the California coast. Olson 30s have sailed in both configurations in the Pacific Cup in the past and done well. One-design racing adds an additional element of competition, and we have special trophies for our one-design classes in addition to the division trophies and regardless of the division (e.g. double-handed and crewed boats both count for the one-design rankings). Three of more boats of the same class will be considered a one-design class.

What sets the Pacific Cup apart from other west coast to Hawaii races?

Support for pre-race preparation. From our Pacific Offshore Academy seminars, where racers benefit from the knowledge of Pac Cup veterans and industry experts, to additional pre-race seminars and parties, as well as our personal inspection program, our goal is to provide a foundation for a safe and FUN race to Hawaii. The first of our Pacific Cup Offshore Academy seminars is coming up on June 13th and Richmond Yacht Club (RYC) on San Francisco Bay.

Pacific Cup Village at RYC. Through a central support hub we make it very easy for out-of-town boats to arrive, rig, and complete their preparations. The village also facilitates camaraderie among the competitors prior to the race – which makes for more fun during and after the race. RYC has several members that have sailed, and who currently sail Olson 30s.

Aloha at Kaneohe Yacht Club. From the welcome Mai Tais to the fantastic parties, KYC welcomes racers and their family and friends with the best in Hawaiian hospitality.

Post-race logistical support. Through our partners, we help facilitate return plans, and for 2016, the Kaneohe Yacht Club has up-sized their hoist to 4,500 lbs., and we are presently in negotiations to significantly lower the cost of shipping boats home.

As a two-time Pacific Cup racer, one as a double hander and the other fully crewed, I can attest to the exhilaration of crossing the blue Pacific Ocean, enjoying the warm trade winds and surfing the following seas with spinnaker runs that last for days. In the race I did double handed, we were pressed very hard by a double handed Olson 30. In talking with them afterward and hearing the descriptions of their days of surfing/planing down big Pacific swells under the ¾ ounce, and particularly since I owned an Olson 30 at that time, I began to wonder why we hadn’t taken my boat instead of my skipper’s. For anyone who loves sailing an Olson 30, particularly with the spinnaker up, the Pacific Cup is a true “bucket list” event.

Race details can be found in the Notice of Race, posted on the Pacific Cup web site, http://pacificcup.org, and it’s easy to register for the race online. The web site also has a tremendous amount of excellent information on how to prepare for and do well in the race.

I am happy to answer any questions that might be standing in the way of a decision to sail to Hawaii, and if I can’t answer them myself, I can point you to someone who can.

We who are working to organize the 2016 version of this great race hope you will decide to join our racers and enjoy the incredible experience of racing a fast, light boat to the beautiful shores of Hawaii.